Starting solid food at 6 months – First steps

Many parents have heard that starting solid food begins at 6 months. But do you know why 6 months is the right time? Or what are the signs that the baby is ready? Preparing to start with solid food can be a confusing stage. In this article we discuss:

solid food at 6 months
why at 6 months and not earlier
what are the signs that the baby is ready to eat other food than milk

If you’re looking for a complete guide to weaning or baby-led weaning (BLW), you can find it HERE .

Why start with solid food at 6 months?

There are many reasons, but as a basic idea, it is good to start from 6 months so that your baby has time to develop sufficiently and to be able to cope with solid foods.

In more detail, here are the reasons why you should wait, at least, up to 6 months:

If you have breastfed, you must know that breast milk is the best food you can give your baby in the first 6 months of life. Babies who are not breastfed are more exposed to infection and illness.

Both breast milk and formula milk provide all the nutrients and all the calories the baby needs until the age of 6 months, so introducing other types of food is not necessary earlier than 6 months.

By 6 months the baby will have time to develop so that induction of solid food can be done safely and successfully. Around 6 months of age (maybe 7 or 8 months – it doesn’t have to be 6 months) the baby will be able to sit on his bottom, support his head, and use his hands and, very importantly, will be able to digest solid food.

Your baby will be more ready to feed himself. Before 6 months the chances of this happening are very low.

The baby will be much more skilled in the movement and control of the mouth, in chewing, swallowing, so they will also be able to eat solid pieces of food (something recommended), not necessarily just very soft purees.

Something interesting to know! That ”disgusted” face that babies use is a reaction to contact with a new taste, not necessarily a sign that they don’t like it. It is important to understand this.

What are the signs that the baby is ready?

Your baby is 6 months old and you are thinking to start and offer solid food But how do you know it’s ready? The age of 6 months is indicative, not hard and fast. The clear conditions that must be met for weaning to begin are 3. When all 3 conditions are met (and yes, this generally happens around 6 months) then the baby is ready to begin to taste solid food..

Important! Weaning begins in parallel with breastfeeding (either breast or bottle). Milk is not eliminated from the diet just because solid food was added in the menu.

Here are the 3 conditions that must be met simultaneously for the baby to be ready:

1.The baby can sit relaxed on the bottom (in a sitting position) without falling, and can support his head on his own.

2.The baby can coordinate his eyes with his hands. It’s important. In this way, he will be able to see the food, grab it and take it to his mouth.

3. The baby knows how to swallow without spitting and is able to swallow.

The following signs are false signs, and should not be taken as signs that you can start offering solids:

The baby burps or sucks his fists.
The baby is not satisfied with the milk offered and wants more.
The baby wakes up often during the night.

These 3 situations are normal but do not necessarily reflect a willingness to begin with solid food. This will not make your baby more inclined to sleep soundly at night.

If your baby was born prematurely, please consult your doctor before starting to offer solids.

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